Selflessness
by Miss-Ecchi
Summary: No one should know about this secret. Not her parents, not Tikki and certainly not Chat Noir. No one should know that the cleansing light never heals Ladybug.


**A/N: Angst and I have been fuckbuddies lately so you're gonna be stuck with expresso depresso stories from me for awhile now :D I created another mini AU (not as canon divergent as the soulmate one I've previously written) ****So, I succumbed and decided to write it instead of binging the final arcs of Gintama again like a filthy weeb. Enjoy!**

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**~(x)~**

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**.**

Slender, pale fingers stroked the head of the sleeping red kwami with tenderness, causing the little Goddess to smile and nuzzle into the soft pillows. Marinette couldn't help but let out a quiet giggle at Tikki's antics. However, a frown took over her face as her dilemma reared its ugly head back into the game.

Assured that the kwami was fast asleep, Marinette moved away from the bed and snuck down the stairs so that she can make way to her wash basin. The fairy lights upstairs illuminated the room enough for Marinette to decently see her reflection in the mirror.

With a dreaded sigh, the French-Asian tugged off her long sleeved top, wincing midway and then assessed the damage.

Her milky white skin was _absolutely _cluttered.

Bruises ranging from an angry red to a horrifying black littered her rib cage and shoulder blades.

Stinging cuts scattered across her shoulders and below her collarbones.

Scars stained her once, unblemished (_well, as unblemished as a klutz like her could be_) torso and upper arms. The girl didn't even want to think about the state of her legs once she gets to that stage.

Regardless, the main issue was the ginormous gash that reached just above her belly, in a diagonal clean cut. Currently, it was covered in a makeshift bandage Marinette created by tearing up a stray bedsheet she found when she had to detransform mid battle.

_A souvenir from the latest akuma she and her partner had just faught, Mme. Ciseaux._

Probably the most dangerous minion Le Papillon has had the pleasure of akumatising. A young seamstress unfairly fired over cutting the fabric at the wrong length despite having worked for the company for over five years. It didn't take long for her to terrorise Paris with giant scissors and tossing crafts knives like a frisbee.

Marinette bit her lip to avoid any harsh whimpers from escaping her throat as she properly redressed her wound, sanitising the gash and stitching the skin back up. The memory of the blade slicing through her stomach would probably haunt her dreams for years to come. Heck, even the akuma gaped horrifically at the wound, allowing the heroine to swing away faster than she could blink.

She was damn lucky that Chat Noir was busy saving innocent civilians from the flying knives to see her get hurt. That damn cat would have _ripped _the akuma apart to _shreds _regardless of the victim underneath and deposited the red-clad hero to the hospital himself. Barely a month into the superhero job and he already wanted to stick to Ladybug like glue.

Marinette shook her head fondly, ignoring the way her cheeks heated up at the thought of her partner, focusing on sewing. Tikki's reaction to the wound when she detransformed midway only made her stomach sink and enforced her decision. The girl couldn't handle Tikki's tears any longer, immediately suiting up again so that the magical material covered any traces of the wounds on the outside. She did get an angry lecture from the kwami after the battle but it was oh so worth it if Mari never had to see such a distraught expression on her tiny friend again.

Once more, she thanked her luck that she managed to hide the wound from everyone despite the sheer pain echoing throughout her body.

No one should know about this secret.

Not her parents, not Tikki and _certainly _not Chat Noir.

_No one should know that the cleansing light never heals Ladybug._

_'Only thirteen years old and I already know how to stitch myself back up. Isn't that pretty lame?'_ Marinette smiled wryly to herself and only paused when she heard the sound of rustling on her bed.

She didn't dare to breath.

Thirty seconds went by and the sounds of faint snoring filled the silence again, allowing the girl to exhale in relief.

It was getting harder and harder to hide her wounds these days and the fights were getting more and more gruesome. Tikki was starting to suspect that something's up but Marinette refused to let those thoughts of the Goddess' to wonder.

Introducing new flavours of cookies and other delicious sweets seems to do the trick.

Same couldn't be said for Chat Noir. The boy was already dangerously curious for his own good and knew her very, _very _well. Perhaps immediately yoyoing away wasn't the smartest thing Marinette has done and probably worried her partner but if the girl stood there a minute longer, she could have sworn she'd have collapsed in pain.

"This is for the best..." Marinette hissed to herself, finished with dressing all her wounds, gulping down some painkillers and hid the first aid kit in the drawer. "He takes enough hits for me already and I don't wanna see that increase..." Slipping a pair of warm pyjamas that covered her appendages and torso decently, the raven haired girl crept back to bed, praying that the pain will be much bearable tomorrow.

She has school after all.

~(x)~

_ 'If the fashion thing doesn't work out, I should probably try out the make up artist career instead,'_ A freshly dressed and relaxed Marinette mused to herself smugly as she walked to school. She woke up ten minutes before her alarm rung and immediately freshened up in the shower, followed by using numerous concealers and foundation to cover up her bruises and injuries that could potentially peak out of her clothes. She couldn't do much about the gash on her stomach and the pain was still pretty terrible despite all the medication _but _it was a much better result than Marinette could have ever hoped.

Her period cramps were much worse anyways.

Ish.

Maybe that's an exaggeration.

Nevertheless, her bright mood seems to have rubbed off on Tikki, illusioning the kwami into thinking that everything is just fine and it's a brand new day.

Exactly how it should be.

_'And it will be,'_ Mari sighed to herself.

Suddenly, her stomach throbbed with immense pain, causing Marinette to gasp and trip over the steps to the school building. She braced herself by bringing her arms forward to soften her fall and clenched her eyes shut as all her wounds stretched achingly-

"Careful!"

Instead of the blunt, gritty concrete, Marinette met warm, strong arms enveloping her body against a firm chest, stopping her descent. The pain did nothing but flare up like a blowtorch but a month of acting like her abrasions don't exist enabled her to mask the hurt by gripping the collar of her saviour's jacket and hiding her grimace against his chest.

A beat went past.

Slowly, Marinette pulled away and tipped her head up ever so slightly so that she can peek through her lashes.

She was met with a pair of green eyes crinkled in concern and a worrying frown sculpted on his lips. Of course. Of all people to catch her whilst she was most vulnerable, it's Adrien _fucking _Agreste. The love of her _fucking _life.

"Marinette? Are you okay?" On any ordinary day, Marinette would have swooned over his troubled tone, fretting over lil ol' her. Right now, her injuries were screaming like a bitch and the girl internally marvelled at herself for how she carefully pulled away from his grasps with a smile faker than plastic.

"Ye-Ye-Yes! Fine- I mean- erm...I'm fine, thank you," She forced her hands behind her back to discourage herself from making any more exaggerated movements as her wounds were aggravated enough already. Plus, Tikki was very much awake and most likely listening in to the conversation; Marinette didn't spend all this time in the morning hiding her injuries only to be busted by her clumsiness.

"...are you sure? I could have sworn that you looked like you're in a lot of pa-"

"I'm fine! Honest, see?" God, he must have thought that she's so rude with the way he flinched when she cut him off animatedly. She gave a little twirl and gestured to herself to emphasise her point and thankfully, the boy smiled. "I...erm...I do ma-make the strangest expressions when I'm thi-thinking, ehem, according to Alya that is." His smile only widened at the rouge that bloomed on her cheeks and the way she meekly connected her pointer fingers together.

'_She's so cute,_' He purred internally.

"If you say so, Marinette," Gathering some of the Chat Noir charm, Adrien hooked his arm with hers, leading them both to the school entrance like a gentleman. "It's a surprise to see you here early these days, let alone on time. We could hang out before registration," The boy babbled excitedly, happy to latch onto a rare bonding session between him and the tight lipped girl.

She was slowly coming out of her shell when it came to him and the model was eager to pull her out whenever he had the opportunity to do so. Even if it meant he had to give her a little push and initiate all interactions.

He wanted to know everything about Marinette Dupain-Cheng and hoped that they could get closer. He's observed her in her element and the awe never seemed to cease. She's so smart, so kind, so brave, so sassy, so talented and such an amazing person! Just being in her presence brightens up Adrien's day.

The girl on the other hand was stuck between giggling like a lovesick teen and howling in pain. The medicine has worn off and the throbbing of the wounds were like fire on her skin. Yet, she'd gladly walk on a path made of glass barefoot just to see him smile.

"I'd love that," The petite girl replied in a strained voice. Adrien's eyes shone with warmth and he placed a hand on her upper arm which was interlocked with his other arm. He gave it a squeeze and his smile softened.

"I'm glad."

Yes, Marinette would joyfully leap into Hell back and forth just to see that wonderful, bright smile on the lonely model. Her wounds be damned!

~(x)~

"Oh no...o-ooooohnononononoo..." The crimson, slick liquid simply dripped between her fingers. The blood poured out from the wound on her forehead, cascading down her face and onto the floor. Finally, she registered the pain as she stood up, collapsing against the dirty alleyway wall whilst the dizzy spell shocked her for a few moments.

The high pitched ringing she's being hearing ever since she received the blow accumulated into a sharp screech, threatening to burst her eardrums. The lights and the bright colours surrounding her made her eyes feel like they're about to explode so she forced them shut.

She was standing in a pool of her own blood.

_Her _blood.

Everywhere she looked was tainted in that dirty scarlet colour.

This was so much worse than the scissors akuma a few months back-

**"Marinette..." **

The Asian froze.

She blinked her eyes back into focus, gasping as she saw Tikki float up to her face with a horrified expression. The little kwami gulped, tears escaping her large, violet eyes as her paws brushed away a few strands of Marinette's fringe.

Apprehension filled Marinette's body from head to toe till the blood loss got to her and she collapsed to her knees, deaf to her kwami's cries and leaned against the wall.

How was she going to hide this now?

Everyone must have seen Ladybug take that blow and it wouldn't take a genius to figure out the clues if Marinette steps out in the public eye drenched in blood.

_ 'Oh my God...even Chat Noir saw...no wonder he screamed my name and chased after me when I ran off...everything was caught on camera and everyone must have seen how I was still injured after the cure so now everyone knows how weak I actually am and-'_ Her spiralling thoughts were halted by Tikki's soothing paws on her cheeks.

"Breathe, Marinette. Breathe." The Goddess ordered. So, the girl submitted to her. As per Tikki's instructions, Marinette breathed in and out in a comforting pattern, clearing her mind up ever so slightly despite the persistent hurt. Her ears were no longer ringing as loud and her eyes weren't throbbing as much.

"Tikki...I'm sorry..." Marinette whimpered but she was only shushed sweetly.

"It's not your fault, Marinette...the cleansing light has never helped you from the start, has it?" With all her strength, Marinette mustered a nod to Tikki's question. The little Ladybug only cried more, pressing her forehead between Marinette's brows. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I...I wanted to prove that I can help...even if I got hurt..." The teen trembled, forcing her tears to stay back. Tikki gave a sweet kiss on the brow and then smiled tearfully.

"You are one of the most strongest Ladybug that I've ever had the honour of working with, don't you ever forget that, my sweet, little, Marinette," Her pacifying tone filled the raven haired teen with energy, bringing the girl back to her feet. She still leaned against the wall for support, clutching her head.

"Thank you," From that day on, Tikki vowed to protect and encourage Marinette even further no matter what. Judging by her shy, quiet show of gratitude, Marinette doesn't seem to understand her own value. The kwami swore to change that.

"I have enough energy for you to sneak back home. You can quickly clean yourself back up and I can help you dress your wounds. You'll have to come up with a decent excuse of how you hurt your head to your parents though. I think you might be concussed."

With an agreeable smile, Marinette transformed back into Ladybug, instantly noting how the transformation has numbed the pain and made it easier for her to maneuver around.

Now, she has to somehow sneak back into her house without anyone seeing her.

Especially that frenzied tomcat.

Ladybug groaned as she envisioned their next interaction.

_He's gonna be so damn pissed._

~(x)~

It was an hour before midnight.

She was late for the designated rendezvous with Chat Noir by no more than half an hour. In Ladybug's defense, she had barely managed to get her fussing parents off her trail and escape. The wound on her forehead was bandaged with a clean gauze and her reflexes were slumped and heavy.

She looked like shit.

Yet, she didn't want her poor partner to worry any longer than he already has.

**_Meet me at the tower, 22:30 sharp._**

**_\- C.N _**

The short, blunt message she received on her yoyo from him was more than an indication of how pissed he was and that only caused the dread to build up in the pit of her stomach. It's not that she's scared of his anger or anything like that. Chat Noir is her partner, her best friend, her literal other half; it takes a lot to get him angry and he's the last person she ever wants to disappoint.

_ Ladybug has never seen him lash out until today, when the akuma bashed her head and sent her flying, crashing into a building with a hideous splatter of blood within the crater. She didn't remember anything but the intense rage in Chat Noir's scream and the way his eyes glowed so dangerously, almost demonic. She caved in to the darkness and the sounds of the world was drowned away by a piercing ringing._

_When she finally came to, she saw the corrupted butterfly flutter away from the unconscious akuma and didn't acknowledge the tense figure of her partner standing with his back towards her, heaving heavily and fists clenching and unclenching back and forth._

_Relying on muscle memory, she captured the butterfly and summoned her cleansing light in a trance, all whilst leaning against what seemed to be a different wall to the one she crashed into._

_'Huh...Chat Noir must have placed me here...' She thought to herself in a daze._

_Suddenly, Noir whipped his head around, facing her, evoking her whole body to freeze like a deer in the headlights. His eyes were so acidically green, it was almost yellow. His pupils were constricted to the point where they were just mere daggers. His feral like teeth unclenched and then twisted into confusion before settling to terror._

_"Why are you still bleeding?" His unanswered question created an unsettling silence in the area, a tension so thick that it can be cut with a knife._

_Ladybug flinched when he took a step forward, glancing around and noting how other straddlers and citizens were gaping at her too. She faced Chat Noir again and almost choked at his horrified face._

_"Ladybug!?"_

_Her mind was sent to overdrive and before anyone knew it, she sped away._

_**"LADYBUG!"**_

"You're late."

A voice snapped the girl out of her stupor when she reached her destination, instinctively clutching an iron beam of the tower to stop her from falling off. Finally regaining her bearings, Ladybug gazed forward and gulped.

Chat Noir stood before her, only a breath away from her own body. He probably raced towards her earlier on to catch her when she lost her footing, disregarding any of his feelings beforehand.

_ Always putting her first._

A moment went by according to time.

But to them?

It felt like _years_.

Fiery, bright green eyes bored into calm, uncertain blues as neither of them attempted to move or change their position. That was until the older of the two raised one of his clawed fingers and brushed the red heroine's fringe away to reveal the bandage. His fingers gently trailed where the wound was underneath the gauze, knowing exactly where she got hurt.

_Where she never got healed._

His lips tightened and his hand dropped to hers, grasping the red fingers with his own in an iron grip. No more running away until he got his answers.

"Why?" His voice took on a gravelly tone. The tension from the battlefield returned by ten folds and the urge to runaway once more burned through Ladybug's being.

"W-What?" Her attempt at playing dumb instantaneously caused the feline to narrow his eyes with burning rage and his teeth gritted under his scowl.

"Don't **fuck **with me. Tell me why you didn't tell me about the cleansing light never healing you." His stoic, icy voice sent all of Ladybug's nerves to the edge and she internally screeched.

She could handle yelling and lectures, yes, no problem, cheers Maman and Papa.

She could handle insults and sneers, absolutely, thanks to a certain Bourgeois for the four years of experience.

She could even handle tantrums and getting chucked against walls or tossed into La Seine, kudos to the akumas for that.

But this?

_This?_

A cold, seething animosity that sends unpleasant shivers down your spine and freezes you to the core? A low, intimidating voice that caused the hairs on the back of your neck to prick with unease? A pair of piercing, soul searching eyes striking through your body like a knife?

Of _course _her loveable, goofy Chaton would possess the most scariest and intimidating anger in the whole _fucking _world! Just her damn luck! And of _course _she's the one who has to be on the receiving end of it.

_'So much for being the lucky one of the duo,'_ Ladybug grimaced to herself and then decided to bite the bullet. It's not like she could do anything else. Chat's tail has woven around her waist, the hand that was clutching hers was now holding his baton which stood on her side like a barrier and his other hand laid limp on his side.

Nowhere to run and hide.

So, she told him. In a steady, sure voice, she told him about how she hated when he took the hits for her. How she refused to be treated like a fragile piece of glass. How she just wanted to prove that she can still protect the city and fight by his side despite the handicap. How she didn't want him to worry about her.

He didn't take the last part well.

"You ran off all beaten up, bleeding, with wounds that should be treated at the hospital after every akuma battle without telling me, all because you didn't want me to _worry_?" Chat's faux ears twitched and his heated eyes countered his Lady's resolute pair. His knuckles whitened under his gloves as he gripped the metal weapon with inhuman strength. "All this time, for _months_!?"

"Yes. See, you're overreacting. I'm fine. That's why I didn't-"

"You were **_CONCUSSED!_** An alleyway nearby has been taped off by the police because it's completely covered in _**YOUR BLOOD!**_Don't even get me started on when Mme. Ciseaux attacked and the only way I found about her _tearing _through your stomach was through a shitty video in the _**DEEP WEB!**_" He slammed the baton down, impaling the beam they were standing on, leaving behind an ugly sound of metal tearing through metal.

The sounds that followed were the heavy breaths of the hero clad in black and the heartbeat ricocheting inside the hero clad in red.

Abruptly, Chat Noir gripped Ladybug's shoulders, shaking her as he spoke.

"Now tell me again that I'm overreacting. _TELL ME_." Ladybug merely responded with silence and her lips were sewn shut. "You think it's fucking fair that only you can worry about me but I can't do the same for you? Huh? What the hell were you even thinking!?" He shook her shoulders again. "You didn't even tell your kwami! You didn't tell _anyone_!"

On spur of the moment, tears welled up in Chat's eyes and Ladybug couldn't do anything but stare flabbergasted. She found that her eyes followed suit without any prompting.

"You didn't tell _me_..." Chat's voice turned quiet, hoarse and whispery. His earlier front was torn away, revealing a defenseless, lonely, scared boy. His tears ran down his cheeks and his hands cradled Ladybug's jaw with such gentleness. "I'm your partner, I'm supposed to be there for you, to protect you, always...how am I supposed to do that if you don't let me?"

"...I just didn't want to see you get hurt anymore, Minou." Ladybug cried out and then brought her arms around Chat Noir's neck, crushing him into a tight embrace and it didn't take him long to return it.

That night, the duo cried away their sorrows to the moon, unaware of the gleeful cackles that echoed in a garden below the Agreste mansion where a despicable father and holder of the butterfly miraculous celebrated the reveal of Ladybug's weakness...

~(x)~

_"Did they run a DNA test on the blood in the alleyway?"_

_ "They did. Turns out magic is mixed in our system, making us untraceable. That's how everyone concluded that it was yours, Bug." _

_ "Everyone...huh..."_

_ "...yeah,"_

_ "I wouldn't be surprised if Le Papillon knows now."_

_ "Mmhm..."_

_ "Hm..."_

_ "I'll protect you from him, I promise. He's not gonna touch you, not if I can help it."_

_ "I know, as long as you let me protect you too, okay?"_

_ "Mmhm."_

_ "That's not a promise."_

_ "My Lady..."_

_ "...please..."_

_ "...on one condition."_

_ "Anything!"_

_ "For the rest of the week, no patrolling for you. You're resting at home and taking care of yourself."_

_ "But my parents already forced me to take a day off school tomorrow to rest. I'll go crazy..."_

_ "My Lady."_

_ "Fine."_

_ "Good...get home safe, LB. Text my baton once you've reached your place." _

~(x)~

Adrien slumped against his bed on the floor, glowering at the barred like windows as if they're the ones who have taken away his mother. The ticking of his watch was the only noise breaking the asphyxiating silence. He replayed the conversation he had with Ladybug over and over again yet he found no solace.

A huge part of him still mourned with guilt and self-deprecation.

He knew there was something off. Something wrong going on. He knew he should have pushed further, prodded deeper. Yet, his fear of losing Ladybug as a friend blinded the red flags.

She almost died twice.

And he couldn't save her.

What a shitty hero he was.

"...kid...I can hear you thinking from here," Adrien's ears perked up and he immediately turned around to see Plagg floating towards him, landing on the foot of the bed. The teen gave a reassuring smile but the kwami simply raised a brow at the gesture.

"Just can't sleep..."

"It's four in the morning. If you do another all nighter, you're gonna look like crap and your shitty excuse of a dad will lecture you again through a _tablet_." Plagg received a playful nudge from Adrien's finger.

"Plagg...father's not shitty..."

"You're right. He's _very _shitty." Eventually, a smirk broke out on Adrien's lips and the God of destruction let out a cheer, getting another nudge from the boy.

The happiness died down quickly, much to Plagg's dismay. Melancholy and regret weighed down on Adrien's shoulders afresh and the boy did nothing but exhale through his nose.

"Plagg?"

"Yeah?"

Adrien fidgeted with his fingers and then sighed in defeat.

"Do you think I was a bit too harsh on Ladybug?" For the first time, the model witnessed the little God deep in thoughts. A reminder of who Plagg really was and what he's lived through since the beginning of...everything.

"No. In fact, I couldn't be more proud of you than I am now, kid. You gave the little bug a good wake up call," He landed on Adrien's hand with a smile. "Also, she deserved that."

"Plagg! No-"

"Yes. She scared the ever loving shit out of you and had you tearing through the entire city in pursuit of her. Still can't believe you threw up after seeing the alleyway,"

"...there was just so much blood...I thought she was dead..." Adrien whispered the last part so quietly that no one with an ordinary ear would have picked it up.

"Adrien, she's okay. If she wasn't, I'd have gotten Tikki to force a detransformation on her so that you could whisk her away to the nearest hospital." Plagg purred, nuzzling the boy's cheek.

"Wow, you guys can do that? That's pretty neat."

Another hour went by with Plagg and Adrien conversing. Whilst the teen nibbled on some bread, the kwami greedily devoured his cheese rigorously. Soon, the sun began to rise and it was then that fatigue plagued Adrien's body.

"Hey Plagg?" The boy yawned again.

"What?"

"Why do you think the cleansing light doesn't work on Ladybug?"

Silence filled the room reiteratively except this time, the early birds outside filled the area with their chirps. Adrien observed the black kwami with hope for a proper reason. Plagg thought hard and then answered.

"Your Ladybug is the most powerful one we've ever had. None of Tikki's previous bugs' miraculous cure fixed as much as present Ladybug. The most that the previous ones were able to do were fix certain items and healed very few people. If another miraculous is being used in a corrupt manner, the cure was able to fix more damages. But..."

"My Lady's cure fixes everything that the akuma has destroyed, including their item itself..."

"That's right. If an akuma manages to damage the entire country, there's no doubt that your Ladybug would be able to fix it. Anywhere in the world. She's a powerful one alright,"

"Everything but herself." Adrien added sadly.

The duo stayed quiet after that with crestfallen expressions. No matter how hard Plagg tried, he couldn't find an answer to Adrien's question nor find a way to cheer the boy up. The teen was genuinely miserable and was probably itching to run out and grab Ladybug back into his arms to protect her from the world. Like a _selfless knight_.

All of a sudden, Plagg's eyes widened as he cracked the code.

"...I think that's why she's so powerful..." Adrien snapped out of his misery, peering at the awestruck kwami of destruction. His eyes widened attentively, beckoning Plagg to spill.

_"She must have unintentionally traded away her protection..."_

_._

_._

_._

~(x)~

.

.

.

_"...in order to save everyone else and fix everything back to the way it was..."_

Tikki finished her explanation with a heavy look, never moving away from her spot on Marinette's bed. The girl herself didn't budge from her downcast pose, head still bowed down solemnly and fingers gripping each other whilst deep in thought.

Her eyes soon stared forward, a storm evident in the deep blues.

"I don't regret it...is that bad? If I had known back then, I'd have still done it. Chat Noir and Paris and the people will always come first to me, no matter what. I love them all."

"You're too good for this world, my little bug..."

~(x)~

Two days later, Marinette was allowed to leave for school after her parents finally deemed her well enough to go. Though, they rathered that she stayed home for a week longer or so because according to them, it's been ten years since she's concussed and the first one had her hospitalised for weeks.

It took some pleading and promises but Marinette managed to reassure them that she's fine and they finally let her go, along with a bag full of medication, bandages and freshly baked sweets to share. The bandage on her head was replaced with a plaster as the wound was healing nicely. It was easier to hide under her fringe and no one would know it's there unless they looked very closely.

That didn't apply to Alya, Nino and Adrien as they pretty much knocked her over in a group hug as soon as she made way to the classroom.

"Holy shit Marinette! Don't scare me like that again! Is that a plaster? I thought you had a big ass bandage wrapped around your head, you klutzy idiot!" Alya pushed the boys away and hugged the giggling girl tighter. "Only you would trip over the stairs to your bed and crack your head open on the floor because you were distracted by a pigeon outside your window! Only you!"

"Alright Alya, lemme hug her now, I gotta give my lil' sis my best bro hugs," Nino nudged Alya off who gave a whiny protest and brought Marinette into his arms. The brunette and the blonde melted at the sight.

"It's okay, I'm fine," Marinette sighed but nevertheless hugged back.

"Dude, your parents were freaking out on the phone and screeching about all the blood dripping down your face! You gave me nightmares when the same thing happened when we were like three!" Marinette winced at the way Nino's tone faltered and she didn't dare to move.

It was a rushed idea when she came home that day, letting her blood spill on a specific part on the floor, quickly changing into different clothing and chucking the current ones away but also letting some blood get on her fresh clothes to make the accident more believable. Maybe she should have cleaned her face properly before venturing downstairs and scaring the living daylights out of her parents?

"Move over Nino, it's my turn," Adrien brushed off Nino's incredulous_ 'B-Bro...'_ and wrapped his arms around the petite girl. The blonde buried his face into the crook of Marinette's neck, deaf to everyone else's awes and coos. His heart fluttered happily when he felt the teen melt in his arms with a content sigh and brought hers around his torso, returning the cuddle.

Truth be told, when he arrived to school yesterday and found out about Marinette from Alya's and Nino's cries, his whole world shattered and he was sent in a spiral of panic. He couldn't remember much but he figured that the whole class was in an uproar, wondering if the girl was alright and some (mainly him and the bespeckled couple) begged Mme. Bustier to let them see Marinette or even call her parents to see if she's okay.

Everyone was already on the edge from the news of Ladybug's mortality breaking out but Marinette's accident was just the icing on the cake.

"I'm so glad that you're okay..." Adrien whispered. He inhaled deeply and squeezed tighter. Why was it always the important girls in his life that always suffered? If it was up to him, he'd have them wrapped around in a protective cloud that cushioned their every fall.

"Sorry for making you guys worry," Marinette smiled sheepishly. She received another squeeze from the green eyed teen and both her hands were held by Nino and Alya. "I'll be more careful next time, I promise,"

"There won't be a next time because we've all decided to chaperone you until you get better." Adrien grumbled, combing his fingers through her hair which was tied in a single ponytail.

If Marinette was an ordinary teen, she'd have blushed joyfully at the declaration. However, that's not the case.

_ 'If they're stuck with me all day, how will I get away to transform if an akuma attacks!?'_

~(x)~

**_"Bien Joue!" _**

Ladybug and Chat Noir bumped their fists in victory with a relieved smile on both of their faces. The akuma they had just fought was brutal, albeit not as bad as the last one but it did give them a good run for their money. Neither of them were terribly hurt but Chat Noir managed to get bruised below the jaw and Ladybug's head wound was bleeding again from all the stretching and strain.

With a nod, the heroine launched her miraculous cure, returning all the buildings back to normal and alleviating the poor citizens that got caught up in the excitement from their lacerations.

Despite his bruise disappearing, Chat Noir's smile dropped as the magic ladybugs departed, revealing his partner who was still injured and dishevelled.

Her fringe was matted with blood, flushed against the skin. The plaster that was sealing the injury was gone. Blood dripped down her head only by a bit, gathering on the arch of her brow below the mask.

Yet, the girl beamed at him like a Goddess. Like all is right in the world.

Letting his impulse take over, Chat Noir meandered towards her, catching her off guard for a split second. Carefully, he brushed her bangs to the side, and used his other hand to wipe off the excess blood surrounding the wound on her forehead.

"I've spotted some friendly Parisians leave out first aid kits and snacks outside their windows for you. I suggest you quickly nab them before you detransform." He kissed the side of her head affectionately and let her hair fall back when he stepped away. The last thing he saw was an imprint of his lips on the bloodstained skin under the fringe and a bewildered look on the girl's face. Her cheeks reddened as she tried to splutter with some sort of comeback. He couldn't help the shit eating grin that grew on his lips.

"Why you! Ugh! Run along now you stupid cat- you have only what? One minute left before you power down into a fugly pumpkin? Shoo!" Noir cackled at the way her voice reached high pitches from being flustered. He could use that as teasing material once she's recovered enough for them to patrol together.

With a salute, he vaulted away.

~(x)~

_"I don't know where she's disappeared to Adrien! Alya is losing her mind looking for her and I can't stop thinking of the worst case scenarios man- please help us find Marinette!" _

Nino's voicemail echoed in his mind like a mantra as Adrien sped through the alleyways and scoured every nook and cranny. He hissed at his poor kwami to hurry up and recharge out of desperation so that he could transform and find the blue eyed girl quicker. All Adrien could hear was his blood rushing through his ears and his vision blurred from the tears gathering in his eyes.

If anything happened to Marinette, he'd never forgive himself!

His lungs burned as they begged for him to stop running and just breathe. His legs ached and stung as they cried for rest. His ears burned as the blood rushed louder.

Yet, Adrien never stopped running.

_"Achoo!"_

The teen skidded to a halt, crashing into a nearby wall but immediately steadied himself with his arms as his eyes darted towards a dark passageway between two derelict buildings. Hope flooded through his chest and in one last push, he ran towards the source of the sound.

"Marinette! Is that really you-"

His mouth clamped shut and his fingers dug into the crumbling walls.

.

.

.

He found Marinette alright.

Yes.

However, he didn't expect to see a red kwami holding his classmate's bangs back as the girl held an open first aid kit in her lap with a cookie in her mouth.

What shook him to the core was an imprint of a pair of lips on the side of her head as she eyed him in surprise. The two didn't dare to move for a good few seconds, completely mind-blown for various reasons.

"Er...meow?" The kwami spoke tentatively and then instantly hid when Marinette looked up at the little being with an incredulous glare. That did it for Adrien.

He collapsed on his knees, laughing with utter relief, confusing Marinette even further as she couldn't decide whether to approach the insane boy or transform and swing away.

"My Lady...it's you!" He took the initiative and advanced, getting to his knees, gathering the designer up in his arms. Marinette's brain short-circuited whilst Adrien's muscles relaxed against her body. Finally, he found his amazing, wonderful, beautiful partner! And the best part? The best part was that she's the amazing Marinette Dupain-Cheng-

"What's a lady?" With a confused sound, Adrien pulled away far enough to see her face but kept his grip on his Princess. Her lips were pursed innocently and her eyes twitched. The model raised a brow.

"Erm...you?"

"I'm not your Lady, I'm Chat Noir's-" This time, his smirk caused Marinette's words to falter and finally, understanding filled her mind as realisation dawned upon her. "Oh...O-Ohhhhhhh..." Plagg, the little devil of a kwami peeked out of Adrien's jacket with a matching smirk and cheekily waved. "_Ah_."

"_'Ah' _indeed, Princess. Indeed," His fingers brushed her fringe away, touching the kiss imprint and his eyelids lowered as his entire being filled to the brim with smugness.

_ 'My Princess, all mine,' _

"Couldn't you have answered my kid's calls or glasses one or two's, you idiot? They were all worried sick again! I swear you're going to give Mr. Crybaby a heart attack one of these days!" Marinette winced at Plagg's scolding who in turn was chastised by Adrien.

"Sorry...my phone broke...again." Mari pointed at the broken device a few feet away. The bad luck duo cringed at how it was nothing but a pile of smithereens, speculating how she managed to get it in that state. Shaking his head, Adrien gave a soft smile and cradled one of her cheeks with his hand, brushing his thumb on the bone.

"Let's go home, Marinette,"

~(x)~

_True to his promise, Chat Noir never treated his Lady like she's helpless. Instead of taking the brunt of hits and attacks for her, he now pushes them both out of the way and fights back harder. _

_ True to her promise, Ladybug was much more careful, improving on her speed and dodging techniques so that she didn't come home with injuries that could have been easily prevented. _

_ No matter how strong and reckless Le Papillon's akumas were, they were always beaten. The handicap that Ladybug possessed did nothing to affect the way the duo fought nor brought her guard down. Plus, with the addition of Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee, the team was unstoppable. _

_ Meanwhile, the friendly, grateful Parisians always left out medical kits and delicious food for the heroes once they were sighted. The mayor even appointed a special team of paramedics for the heroes if they've taken a fatal blow. _

_ So yes, not once has Marinette ever regretted or mourned the fact that she chose the people over her own safety. _

_ And neither will she ever do so._

**.**

**.**

**.**

**~(x)~**

* * *

**A/N: This. Was. Too. Long. How did I even manage to waffle so much? I wanted this to be a tragedy but sleep deprived 6am me somehow turned this into a happy ending and 10pm me has no choice but to follow through.**

**:'(**


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